LOL .. so much i can say .... it would have probably helped if you weren't looking at him like you were big baby davis

it was NOT like that I didnt even know he would be there

But when one meets such people, then, one should make the most of that experience as its probably unlikely to happen again.

My whole point there was a bit of sports ethnography, lots of watching, and a few questions. that is how one learns to read other people. If I attend places regularly, people soon find I can be quite loud and strongly opinionated...but the first meeting of something new, I bearly ever utter a word, that is because I am watching and assessing everything and everyone. that is how you learn about the people who are around you in any situation. Thats where you get a feel for who is likely to say and do what.

Who is the natural born leader? who tries to hide their strong dislike of you behind a front of civility? who is reliable and does what they say? who makes promises that will never transpire? who is liable to manipulate who, and for what purpose? what dynamics exist between members of that particular environment? who is going to say what needs to be said no matter the cost? who likes to moan, but plays the apologist when confronted with authority?

You cant understand those factors, which are vital, if you dont watch and listen. That is how you learn, who to trust, who is on your side, and who to be weary of. Even off duty, so to speak, as I was on holiday, old habits die hard, so I naturally gravitated to watching...from what I remember of Robbie from back then, he was nervous, probably the life and soul of a small party of people he knows, but an absolute closed book to anyone he doesnt know, alright with the odd acknowledgement, but very uncomfortable with anything more except on his own terms, preferably not at all unless its going to become obvious that you will meet time and time again.

Now after almost every single exercise he would be writing things on his little scrap of paper, like his life depended on it. As in, get up, walk across to the table over the other side of the room, write maybe a few words, then walk all the way back, time and time and time again. It wasnt just record keeping...it was almost ritualized accuracy. Obviously that was one afternoon, on one day, many years ago. Thats about all I got because he was well aware that I was watching...I knew it was uncomfortable, so I was watching from rather a distance. I think one of the few reasons he gave me the interview, is because having asked when he first came in, he fully planned on absent mindedly forgetting of course, he probably figured correctly that it was about the only way to get rid of me

And Robbie may be quiet and shy but he has a great memory. He remembered my name after meeting me once, briefly, like a year prior. I was shocked and very impressed. I can't remember anyone's name from yesterday!